Only these two became four-time ‘Heroes of the Soviet Union’
Many in the USSR were perplexed as to what Leonid Brezhnev, the country's leader, had done to earn such an honor, let alone four times.
Becoming a ‘Hero of the Soviet Union’ was the highest honor a Soviet citizen could dream of. The award was given to individuals who had demonstrated exceptional service to the state or demonstrated exceptional bravery on the battlefield.
Along with the title, the recipient received a distinctive insignia – a ‘Gold Star’ medal. Interestingly, the original inscription on the reverse side read: "Hero of the SS" (‘SS’ being the abbreviation for ‘Sovietsky Soyuz’ [‘Soviet Union’]). However, due to its association with the Nazi organization, it was changed to: "Hero of the USSR".
A total of 12,777 people became ‘Heroes of the Soviet Union’. One hundred and fifty-four received the award twice and three received it three times: renowned pilots Ivan Kozhedub and Alexander Pokryshkin, as well as Marshal Semyon Budyonny.
Marshal Georgy Zhukov.
Marshal Georgy Zhukov became a four-time ‘Hero of the Soviet Union’. He received his awards for the defeat of Japanese forces at the Khalkhin Gol River in 1939, for successfully coordinating the actions of two fronts during ‘Operation Bagration’ in 1944, the capture of Berlin in 1945 and on the occasion of his 60th birthday in 1956.
Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev became the second and last person to be awarded this prestigious title four times. In 1966, he was made a ‘Hero of the Soviet Union’ on the occasion of his 60th birthday, in 1976 on the occasion of his 70th birthday, two years later "for outstanding service to the Communist Party and the Soviet state" and, in 1981, on the occasion of his 75th birthday.
